Conveyor belt unit with configuration-changing mechanism

Abstract

A conveyor belt unit (100) has a configuration-changing mechanism useful for switching between a ready-to-operate configuration and a not-ready-to-operate configuration. A specific embodiment uses a rotating joint element (150) with a thin material bridge (152) that defines a rotary axis. Used with a dynamic checkweigher, the conveyor belt unit has a carrier frame (110) and a belt body (130) connected to it. Rollers (132, 134) are arranged at the ends in transport direction (T) and contrary to the transport direction, with a conveyor belt (136) tensioned across the conveyor rollers. A motor drives the conveyor belt (136) by means of one of the rollers (132, 134). The configuration-changing mechanism is effective between the belt body and the carrier frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A conveyor belt unit for conveying an object over a dynamic checkweigher, comprising:
 a carrier frame; 
 a belt body, connected to the carrier frame for conveying the object, comprising:
 a pair of rollers, one arranged at an end of the belt body in a transport direction and one arranged at an end contrary to the transport direction; and 
 a conveyor belt tensioned across the pair of rollers; 
 
 a motor arranged to drive the conveyor belt by means of one of the rollers; and 
 a configuration-changing mechanism, effective between the belt body and the carrier frame to switch the conveyor belt unit between a not-ready-to-operate configuration and a ready-to-operate configuration, when the configuration-changing mechanism is actuated, the configuration-changing mechanism comprising at least one rotating joint element comprising a pair of joint legs connected by a thin material bridge that defines a rotary axis thereof that is aligned parallel to the transport direction; 
 wherein one of the joint legs is used to attach the rotating joint element to the belt body and the other joint leg is used to attach the rotating joint element to the carrier frame, such that swivelling the belt body relative to the carrier frame about the rotating joint element moves the conveyor belt unit from the ready-to-operate configuration into the not-ready-to-operate configuration and vice versa. 
 
     
     
       2. The conveyor belt unit of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier element comprises a first side element located on a first side of the belt body and a second side element located on a second side of the belt body and the rotary axis of the rotating joint element lies above the side elements. 
     
     
       3. The conveyor belt unit of  claim 1 , wherein the conveyor belt unit is arranged as one of:
 a feed belt unit; 
 a weighing belt unit; or 
 a discharge belt unit. 
 
     
     
       4. A conveyor belt unit for conveying an object over a dynamic checkweigher, comprising:
 a carrier frame; 
 a belt body, connected to the carrier frame for conveying the object, comprising:
 a pair of rollers, one arranged at an end of the belt body in a transport direction and one arranged at an end contrary to the transport direction; and 
 a conveyor belt tensioned across the pair of rollers; 
 
 a motor arranged to drive the conveyor belt by means of one of the rollers; and 
 a configuration-changing mechanism, effective between the belt body and the carrier frame to switch the conveyor belt unit between a not-ready-to-operate configuration and a ready-to-operate configuration, when the configuration-changing mechanism is actuated, the configuration-changing mechanism comprising at least one rotating joint element comprising a pair of joint legs connected by having a thin material bridge that defines a rotary axis thereof that is aligned at right angles to the transport direction; 
 wherein one of the joint legs is used to attach the rotating joint element to the belt body and the other joint leg is used to attach the rotating joint element to the carrier frame, such that swivelling the belt body relative to the carrier frame about the rotating joint element moves the conveyor belt unit from the ready-to-operate configuration into the not-ready-to-operate configuration and vice versa; 
 wherein the rotary axis lies below an end of the belt body that extends either in, or contrary to, the transport direction. 
 
     
     
       5. The conveyor belt unit of  claim 4 , wherein the conveyor belt unit is arranged as one of:
 a feed belt unit; 
 a weighing belt unit; or 
 a discharge belt unit. 
 
     
     
       6. A conveyor belt unit for conveying an object over a dynamic checkweigher, comprising:
 a carrier frame; 
 a belt body, connected to the carrier frame for conveying the object, comprising:
 a pair of rollers, one arranged at an end of the belt body in a transport direction and one arranged at an end contrary to the transport direction; and 
 a conveyor belt tensioned across the pair of rollers; 
 
 a motor arranged to drive the conveyor belt by means of one of the rollers; 
 a configuration-changing mechanism, effective between the belt body and the carrier frame to switch the conveyor belt unit between a not-ready-to-operate configuration and a ready-to-operate configuration, when the configuration-changing mechanism is actuated, the configuration-changing mechanism comprising at least one rotating joint element having a thin material bridge that defines a rotary axis thereof; 
 support elements, arranged opposite the rotating joint element, that support the belt body against the carrier frame when the conveyor belt unit is in the ready-to-operate configuration; and 
 a tension lever, configured for transfer between a lower snap-in position corresponding to the ready-to-operate configuration and an upper snap-in position corresponding to the not-ready-to-operate configuration, the tension lever being fixed to the belt body such that the belt body swivels when moving between the snap-in positions; 
 wherein the respective snap-in positions are defined in a matrix, through which an end of the tension lever, distal to the belt body, reaches, the matrix being is situated either in a side element of the carrier frame, below the support elements or the rotating joint elements; or in a cross-element of the carrier frame which lies below the support elements or the rotating joint element and connects the side elements. 
 
     
     
       7. The conveyor belt unit of  claim 6 , wherein, in the ready-to-operate configuration, the tension lever snaps under tension into the lower snap-in position, thereby pressing the belt body onto the support elements. 
     
     
       8. The conveyor belt unit of  claim 6 , wherein, in the not-ready-to-operate configuration, the tension lever is supported against the upper snap-in position, thereby holding the belt body in the swivelled position. 
     
     
       9. The conveyor belt unit of  claim 6 , wherein the conveyor belt unit is arranged as one of:
 a feed belt unit; 
 a weighing belt unit; or 
 a discharge belt unit.